She only started four years ago, but Antje Zents (29) already runs a thriving cheese factory with an accompanying shop. Together with her parents, she has lived on a small-scale farm in Emden since she was a child, where they have also been processing the weekly 2,000 litres of milk from their cows into cheese themselves since 2020. They do this with equipment from Riet Dairy. “It works excellently and you make the most delicious Gouda cheese and cream cheese with it,” Antje says. In this interview, she talks about how Riet Dairy helped her start and grow her cheese factory.

While studying Dairy Farming in the Netherlands, Antje gained experience at dairy processing plants, which inspired her to start a cheese factory after returning to Germany. “Moreover, we could no longer make a living from just 75 cows”, Antje says. “The combination of cows, cheesemaking and having my own shop seemed like a great idea to me.” Therefore, she built the cheese factory four years ago in a converted residential house, which also houses a shop. “Customers can enjoy coffee, a cheeseboard or cake here.” Antjes’ partner Joost van ‘t Klooster, who currently still runs a farm in Groningen, will move to Emden at the end of this year to run the company with her.

The start of the cheese factory

Setting up a cheese factory from scratch is a challenge. “Fortunately, we knew someone with experience in setting up cheese factories. Through him, we got in touch with Riet Dairy. They supplied everything we needed: our cheese press and cheese vat, as well as several pumps, cheese moulds, milk pipes and a heat exchanger. The complete picture. Not everything was new, as to save costs we specifically asked for a second-hand cheese vat. They helped us a lot with that.”

Installation and testing

“The installation of all the equipment was quite stressful”, Antje recalls. “Mainly due to the strict German regulations we have to comply with, but we also sometimes had to make sure everything was on track in terms of planning. In the end, everything was installed properly and on time.” A week later, Rob Rodewijk from Riet Dairy came by to test the equipment with Antje. “Now years later, Rob is still our fixed contact person. “Whether it’s a connection I don’t understand or the purchase of new equipment, Rob is always there for us. He is always available and takes action quickly, which makes working together enjoyable.”

Maintenance and service

Although Riet Dairy’s equipment runs almost trouble-free, Antje once discovered a faulty pump. “The distance between our companies is great, but with the help of their technical support, everything is always resolved quickly,” she says. “We are in regular contact, for example, when I need new equipment. Now that our cheese factory is growing, they are helping us to think about ways of improving work processes, such as a hoisting system for our salt bath at present. In our experience, Riet Dairy is a reliable partner that not only supplies high-quality equipment, but also offers support with the production process.”